Light Negotiations
It was a day illuminated by the Sun in the Kingdom of Aeternum. Despite its relatively recent conflicts, the markets continued to buzz with people as they went about their daily business. All seemed to be well in the Kingdom, or so one would think at a glance. The sudden change in authority caused the citizens to abuse the lack of authority over the economy, and various other situations that should be maintained by leaders. Over the external view of a bustling town, there was an inherent fear in all of its citizens, that their small worlds will drown into anarchy. Aine Euryphresea, the current Matriarch of the famed House of Euryphresea, stood at her balcony and watched the events unfold from high up. She knew very well the sudden change in political situation left her in an extremely distressed position. On one hand, there was compliance to the new King that had exerted his authority, and on the other there was attempting to regain the stability of the Kingdom by attempting to reinstate members of the old government. In either case, Aine, as a primary authority of the continent, was stuck in the middle and had nowhere to go. She expected a visitor soon, an emissary on behalf of the King, in order to negotiate how the newfound Kingdom should move forward. A light nock on the door alerted Aine to the figure of her butler, Winston, waltzing in to close the door behind him. The older man cleared his throat to make his presence more known as he recited the arrival of Aine’s new guest. “The King’s emissary has arrived, shall I escort him in Lady Euryphresea?” A nod of the noblewomen’s head elicited a bow from Winston as he left to go fetch the visitor. Moments later the same soft knock could be heard as Winston opens the door and gestures for a rather tall man to enter on his behalf. “Lady Euryphresea will see you now.” This onyx haired man nods his head in thanks to the butler and he moves to stand at attention in front of Aine. A slight bow accompanies his introduction, before returning to his more conditioned stance with his hands resting on the small of his back and eyes cast downward out of respect for this short noble women. “Good morning to you Lady Euryphresea, I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me. My name is Ryota Kaneko, member of the Nine Elementals, and emissary to King Kladenets. I have been sent at the request of the King to discuss with you the steps needed to help ease the minds of the people and hopefully attain your cooperation on the matter.” Despite his respectful tone, the man beneath the black suit and tie, was a man shaped through war. His muscular build and hardened expression highly evident of battles fought long before war had come to the continent they both call home now. He was rather surprised to see such a small women before him upon his arrival, but the power he sense flowing beneath her petite frame gave him the truth he needed behind his King’s ulterior request to recruit such a women into the ranks of the King’s most trusted guard, the Nine Elementals. He gestures to the plush chairs on his flank, “May we have a seat to talk? Perhaps I can alleviate any worries you have on the sudden events that overtook this continent.” Ryota states, knowing that this woman probably has been plagued by the same worries and questions that he had when first hearing of the King’s plan to move to Aeternum. "Hello, Mr. Kaneko." Aine responded in kind as she witnessed the entrance of the man. She was expecting him, and was glad that he possessed a demeanor worthy of the occasion. "Please, take a seat. I do not mean to keep my guests uncomfortable, irrespective of their origins." Aine directed the man to the nearby seats, as she took a seat herself in kind. "Indeed, that is precisely the reason I have accepted your King's request. Now, I would like you to explain your King's motivations and aspirations for this continent and its citizens in as much detail as you can." Ryota sits down, his body relaxed and almost casual against the refined furniture. He appreciated the directness of Aine and her desire to get down to business, as he was never one for idle chit chat. “Ah, well I cannot say these words are directly from the King, only my interpretation as to the information he has shared with us as to his intentions.” He unbuttons the bottom button on his blazer to make for a more comfortable sitting posture, as he talks a deep breath and contemplates the choice of words he shall use. “King Kladenets is a man who desires unity under a powerful being. His aim is to bring together these separate governments under one leader to eliminate the stagnation caused by the constant bickering amongst the officials of old time. His power led him to the position, and in that spot he believes he can effectively solve problems as they arise before the issue adversely affects the people. This isn’t to say that localized leaders, or a sense of democracy, is lost however,” Ryota says with eloquent intonation, “there is a selected group of individuals that are chosen to act as both an armed guard to the King, as well as a council of the land. This collection of powerful mages, deemed the Nine Elementals, has the authority to make an enforce policies in the public domain and serve as council during times of distress, although the King’s decisions are absolute. As far as motivations, I believe the King aims to extend this system to a far greater reach and unify the continents of Earth Land under one social order.” Having given the background on the situation at hand, Ryota leans forward a bit towards Aine to show his investment in what he is about to say. The warmth and aura Ryota could sense from the women seemed to ease the tension he felt riding on such situation, as his intuition told him Aine was someone with whom he could trust and be honest with. “To be honest with you, the King has heard of your families power and prestige among the people and felt it would look good if a familiar face was on the Nine Elementals. So in short, I am here to hopefully recruit such a noble as yourself into our council in order to boost the prestige of the King. But I believe it can serve a greater purpose. The face and words of a familiar and highly regarded Lady, such as yourself, showing such support for the King will help ease the minds of the people and quell an civil unrest during this delicate time. Right now the people are seeing their country undergo a great change in the way decisions are made, and if they see a women who understands their collective voice helping to shape the future of this new system, it would prevent any trouble from breaking out and causing unnecessary damage. Do you understand where I am coming from?” "I see, so that is how it is." Aine responded to Ryota's initial remarks on Kladenets' goals. Of course, there was always one foolish, but powerful man who believed that everybody should exist under a single power, and that man simply had to take this continent away from her people. Nevertheless, Aine did not bring up her personal opinions of Kladenets' desire for conquest. At this point, she had to decide how to handle the present predicament. She paid close attention to the nature of the request Ryota had; to be a part of the Nine Elementals, as they were called. It was an offer made with a position of strength by Kladenets, everything was in his favor. She seemingly had no choice in the matter at all. However...she had to test the dedication these newcomers had to this continent. "I understand your offer, Mr. Kaneko." She responded in kind. "However, my decision cannot be taken in such haste, for both yourself and I, especially when it comes to my prowess as a Mage and the political powers I will be granted." Aine continued, "While my ability as a Mage can be tested in a better situation at a later time, I would like you to inform me what political power I will hold should I attain a seat among the Nine. Likewise, you must understand, if I find your conditions unsatisfactory, I would like to negotiate my own contributions to my personal sphere of political influence for the sake of my people." Seems that Lady Aine is no stranger to the likes of negotiations and could potentially be strong willed enough to hold her ground against the demands of the King…a skill most needed to maintain one’s identity among the collective of the Nine Elementals. Seems like an ideal fit. ''Ryota thought to himself as he nodded his head in agreement to the statements of the women before him. “Well as of right now the exact breakdown of the political power held by the Nine is in flux due to the ever expanding knowledge we are gaining on this continent and its various socioeconomic spheres; but I assure you that each instance is dealt with in logical diplomacy by the current members of the Nine. The King himself has given us almost complete autonomy over the course of action in regards to governmental duties, as well as allowed us to take on the command of unique sectors within the continent. So should you find a suitable department to head, that spot will be granted to you without question.” Ryota says as his eyes flicker back to memories of the workings at Aeternum’s capital. “To give you an example of this, I suppose I will detail my current role as a member of the Nine Elementals.” Ryota says with a half smile, always finding delight in sharing his own work with others. “As an Elemental I suppose I take on a variety of tasks given to me by the King, ones I must accept without rebuttal, such as being the emissary in this instance. Other tasks I have taken on myself with a vest interest. When I am not in attendance of a meeting with the other Elementals, I am the acting Head of Aeternum’s Research and Development program; with a heavy emphasis in weaponry and technology due to my knowledge and background. You could say that is how I spend my ‘''free time’. Aside from that, I have been entrusted as Chief Commander of the Machina Militia of the King’s Army with whom I help train and improve upon to help better protect the people within the King’s land.” Ryota pauses a moment to reflect on what other pertinent duties he was entrusted with. “I believe that is a concise breakdown of what I currently do; but each Elemental does not necessarily need to take on such a load, nor deal in the particular sphere that I have been conditioned to. So there is a degree of freedom in which realm of power you choose to head.” "Autonomic political power in exchange for become what is essentially a slave to this King, is it?" Aine noted to herself as Ryota explained the nature of the Nine Elementals' authority. To this end, she paid attention to the explanations of his work in Research and Development. "In essence, the Nine Elementals act as the representative government, senate and associated political entities for the King whom, judging by your description, simply acts as a conquering force and subsequently a figurehead of power." Aine aimed to put a bit of pressure on Ryota, though not enough to be put in an antagonistic light. However, she had to show her resolve and status to a man that currently held greater power than her own. "In light of this, I believe it would be prudent that, should I prove worthy of becoming one of you, I gain authority of public affairs and security. After all, it has been the duty of the Euryphresea for centuries to manage and improve on public affairs. For this reason, many hospitals and institutions of education have been born out of our name. With respect to a military contribution, when considering the nature of my abilities, I believe all I could do is create a brigade dedicated to the defense of the Kingdom: a Barrier Brigade, if you will." Aine paused for a moment. While her suggestions were all well and good, her eagerness ran forward and made her appear desperate. Not for long, however. "Nevertheless, I must add that given the nature of the previous generation's sphere of influence when it comes to autonomic political power, what manner of repercussions are handed down by the King if he is informed of misconduct?" Clever girl, astute deduction skills and the ability to see through subliminal diction. ''He thinks to himself with a smirk and wonders if he is truly fit to be in a position that requires one to mask ones personal feelings towards matters. "That is an interesting observation on the current governmental status; although I feel I have no right to comment on such matters until my role as an emissary is complete," He says with a quaint smile and a nod of his head. I believe the King's judgement proves that you are worthy, although I would feel a test of your power would be fit to report back to the other Elementals for our own personal acceptance of you. And that sphere is yours to choose, so I believe you will be able to command your Barrier Brigade as you desire." He had begun to relax around the woman until she returned back to her fierce negotiating tactics. The mention of the previous Nine Elementals leaves a disgusting taste in his mouth, as their actions were deplorable and an arrogant display of power and authority. "I assure you that the King has taken every step to prevent the monstrous abuse of power shown by the previous Elementals. Repercussions have ranged from verbal warnings, to time in prison, to even the death sentence. But the worst thing that has happened, mentioning the actions of the previous Elementals, is King Kladenets personally detained the mages and burned through their bodies with his own magic power, overwhelming their system to a slow and painful death...Typically it depends on the severity of the deed." "...Fitting punishments indeed." Aine commented on Ryota's recent statements with regards to Kladenets' punishment methods, specifically focusing on the burning that he mentioned. Keeping that at the back of her mind, Aine's expression turned lighter. "Back to lighter matters, a test is, of course, in order. It seems that it would be in my best interests to follow your little group after all." She stood up, dusting off her lengthy kimono. "Where to, Mr. Kaneko?" Ryota gave a small smile as he stands up as well, buttoning his jacket back together with ease. "Well I believe an open area would be best to prevent any radial damage to civilians or structures. Do you know of any spaces nearby?" Ryota said calmly with a gesture that brought his hand up to his side. His fingers seemed to press down on his cuff link, which was followed with a sudden appearance of what looked like a small electronic sensor sticker in his palm. "I will be placing these Ethernano Registering Sensors on major vessels on your body which will send data to my holowatch that will allow me to calculate your potential output. Similar to the MPF system I suppose. Then I will have some of my Secunda Drones act as your opposition. Is that alright with you my Lady?" "Ah, yes. The training area for my subordinates would be perfect for this cause." Aine spoke, as she gestured to her nearby butler. "Please tell those five to excuse themselves from the training room. I have business there." The butler immediately went to inform the appropriate recipients of Aine's arrival. "Now then, Mr. Kaneko, please follow me." Aine asked, as she headed inside from the balcony both her guest and herself were seated on. She walked at a moderate, dignified pace, each stride only barely making any sound. Turning right onto the stairs, she spoke the emissary of the King. "I must say, Mr. Kaneko. I am impressed by your tactical foresight. You readily assumed it would be best to use drones as my opposition rather than a combat mannequin of some kind. Were you aware of my deficiency in offensive Magic, or was this purely coincidence?" Ryota smiles at the Lady's question, for she was probably unaware of the extent to which him and his contacts outside the walls of the Kingdom looked into Aine's past alongside the history of the Euryphresea family. A large amount of hours had gone in at Ryota's own personal request to assess her mental profile as well as combat abilities, information that he had kept hidden from the Kingdom for an ulterior motive. Luck was on his side he supposed, as it was him who had been chosen to meet with Aine at order's of the King, as opposed to his partner who was the assumed leader of the Nine Elementals. As the two enter what he assumed was the training area due to it's vast size and limited obstructions, Ryota spoke up, "Well Lady Euryphresea, word of your family's unique magic is well known among the members of the Kingdom. From what I have gathered from talking with the folks of Aeternum you possess the Ain Soph Aur blessing. A magic, from what I understand, holds a great deal of power as an individual who is blessed with such a magic retains the cumulative power gained from the previous individuals who obtained the blessing as well. Having such a vast collection of power gathered from your lineage would be difficult for any mage to control, and so it was safe to deduce that the utmost mastery in barrier and containment spells would be highly valuable for a mage to control the powerful magic they have at hand..." Ryota said casually, masking his deeper understanding of what she is capable of, "But after meeting you in person, I can only sense that it isn't Barrier Magic at all. What I sense seems to be more akin to a manipulation of Light Magic into a strong defensive construct...Is what you're currently exuding a manipulation of this magic Ain Soph Aur?" Ryota asks inquisitively, honestly trying to understand. As he waited for her answer, Ryota brought up his cuff link to press on it once more, activating the INDO Technology and bringing forth what looked like a set of ten of the Ethernano Registering Sensors in a case. "And I must apologize my Lady, but I will need to have you put these of the major arteries of your body, one on both your left and right side. If my Lady allows it, I can assist you with the Carotid, Brachial, and Radial; but I would not feel it appropriate to aid in the placement of the Femoral and Posterior Tibial Arteries. I will respectfully turn away, but please do not hesitate to ask if you require my assistance. These sensors will help me get the most accurate reading on your magical output, so the placement of each sensor is highly important. I do apologize." "It seems you have done your research." Aine commented, grinning slightly that the true nature of this ''blessing had eluded even someone as competent as the man before her. "You are correct in your assumptions. Ain Soph Aur is a blessing that has integrated into my very being. I am incapable of escaping its use. While that comes with its own plethora of disadvantages, I'm sure you're intelligent enough to piece the rest together." Aine smiled, as she was handed the sensors by Ryota. After listening to his comment about inappropriateness, she smiled. "Of course, I will be but one moment." Aine quickly placed the sensors onto her bare skin before putting her clothes over the top. "This should be sufficient. However, if you would like another perusal for accuracy, please don't restrain yourself." Aine told the man. Ryota turned around, nodding his head with the orders of the women in front of him. He was pleased that she showed no inquisition as to any further research he had done into her and the true extent of her abilities. Though his research was one thing, he was a bit excited to see what his sensors would be able to pick up and calculate as her potential power. With a push of opposite cuff link around a dozen or so floating drones appeared behind Ryota. They seemed to be levitating off the ground equipped with what Aine could only figure as a variety of missiles and bullets coupled with a multitude of scanners. "I suppose a dozen or so drones will do as an initial assessment, and if you're up for it I can bring out some of my own personal weapons to test out your defensive abilities. I will have the drones fire off attacks of varying levels of intensity to reach that of a low rank S Class Mage, that way I can measure your ethernano output and ability to adjust your timing in that output." He rolls up his sleeve to reveal a complex watch that reveals a holographic display screen in which Ryota programs the drones instructions in to, it then switches to a screen that seems to be displaying various graphs and numbers. "Please let me know when you are ready my Lady." Aine listened carefully to what Ryota had to say, understanding that the baseline assessment clearly wiped out any weak candidates for the position. "I see. Thank you for the exposition, and please do not be afraid to have your drones go with the 'no-holds barred' approach; after all, becoming an Elemental cannot be easy now, can it?" Aine taunted ever-so-slightly, although she was nonetheless impressed by the man's methodical approach to this examination. She breathed deeply, releasing a radiant light that cloaked around her being, although was not in direct contact with her. Indeed, she had exerted her Magic's influence over the air itself, using it as her first layer of defense. Ryota gave out a light chuckle at Aine's comment, as he adjusted the drone's output and coordination to be a bit more in tune with a defensive mage's strategies. "You should be lucky the King already finds you favorable in joining the Elementals; hence why I am only testing out the extent of your power in a controlled setting. Those who typically wish to join the Elementals must endure a test that they typically do not make it out of alive." Ryota states, only alluding to the Elemental's practice of trial-by-combat for a chance to earn a spot on the organization. Ryota sees that Aine has prepared herself for the drone's attacks and so Ryota presses the green button on his watch's screen, causing the drones to fly around in blinding speeds and random patterns giving off the vibe of a hornet's swarm surrounding her. Without warning the drones begin firing off concentrated blasts of plasma energy towards the barrier that Aine has constructed. The shots have seemingly no effect; and so they transition to a high concentrated blast without breaking the rhythm of their assault. Four of the drones switch to high grade explosive missiles laced with various elemental magic properties, while the rest remain with plasma blasts at the now weakening barrier. With this transition Ryota takes down a mental note that the drones have switched into the second of four phases in their assault pattern, and that Aine's most basic barrier can withstand the force of that of a regular mage's typical attack. As the firing power of a typical plasma shot registers at 250 MPF. Ryota waits patiently to see how she handles the abrupt transition into the second phase of what would be a high ranked S Class Mage. "Intriguing, I suppose this is the standard for someone of the King's elite. No matter." Aine told herself as her barrier was weakening. Her initial strategies would prove useless, and so she switched the focus of her barrier. Utilizing intricate hand movements with the bell sleeves of her kimono as a focus, Aine used its material focus to create two spherical barriers of golden light that expanded in radius and diameter with extreme speed. They completely surrounded Aine's physical body within the next moment. Subsequently, the barrier proved to be highly effective against the plasma, redirecting the laser accurately towards the drones' positions. Likewise, they proved quite effective against the elemental assaults too, albeit rather than redirection, the spherical shape and texture of the barrier meant that the missiles' explosive force panned out across the barrier rather than concentrated itself, making it difficult to cause any lasting harm, albeit how it would last against repeated assaults in a single area was not clear. Ryota smirked at his holowatch's monitor as he saw that Aine efficiently increased her output of magic without any perceivable strain on her body's system. Ryota watched as a few of his drones were taken out by the redirected lasers, a skill that Ryota found quite interesting, and so to compensate for this he quickly summoned forth their replacements. He sees that the power of his drones are being dissipated across the barrier that Aine has formed and renders it highly effective against wide spread attacks; as it's energy is cancelled out by the oscillating ethernano caused by subsequent attacks across the span of the dome. Royta takes this into account and types in a different instruction for his last wave of attacks from his drones, rather than the typical increase in power. Instead of altering their swarm, Ryota brings his drones in on one central location on the opposite side of where he is facing, their laser sights all pointing to one direct spot on Aine's barrier. Ryota speaks up from behind her, "Instead of the usual pattern, I have altered their programming to send out a pure ethernano blast all pointed on that one center spot where their lasers are directed. With the dozen you have there, the total power of the blast will be around 6000 MPF, so I do hope you adjust your barrier accordingly. After this last round I will have the results I need, I will be firing in 3...2...1." Unbeknownst to Aine, due to her visual focus being on the drones, Ryota requips his small 9mm pistol and loads up a blunt computerized rubber bullet into the barrel. Ryota wants to see if the strength of Aine's barrier can be selectively increased in one particular area, or if it is an overall expansive increase when she changes levels. He chooses the rubber bullet in case her barrier gives way, though he has no thought that it would from such a low calibur gun. The system in the bullet will tell him the resonating frequency of the ethernano it hits, allowing him to calculate out what MPF it would be able to withstand, allowing him to determine if she would be able to manage a barrage on all fronts from varying levels without expending any unneeded energy. At his signal he presses down the button on his screen, causing his drones to charge up the blast and fire it at the same time that Ryota pulls the trigger for his rubber bullet. "Ah dear, he's more intelligent than I gathered for. Then again, my abilities are not so complex." Aine noted to herself as she raised her hands. Concentrating, she adjusted the nature of her current barrier to compensate for the level of power Ryota was concentrating in a single position. However, judging from how resourceful the man was...there was clearly an ulterior motive to this very simple maneuver. As such, she did not allocate all of her resources to the large blast, but rather, ensures that at a minimum five percent strength had been kept around her in the form of a very transparent, almost invisible barrier. In contrast, the area that Aine focused on transformed into a hexagonal design, with a clear indent that likely intended to bounce away the Ethernano blast that was heading towards Aine; how efficient this method would be was going to be found now. The sudden blast did not take Aine by surprise, and she kept her hands up on both sides of her being, and felt the impact of both the ethernano blast and bullet on her barriers. The bullet was effortlessly shrugged to the side, while the blast itself continued attempting to penetrate into her barrier. With the bullet dealt with, Aine focused all of the excess power into the shield, using the extra energy as a propeller to the slightly indented hexagon, thus causing it to fling outwards and send the blast back with full force, keeping herself secure while inadvertently leading Ryota's drones to the path of destruction. "Would that be enough, Mr. Kaneko?" She asked politely. Ryota slightly cringed at the sight of his drones being completely obliterated by the redirection of their own attack; still somewhat saddened every time he must sacrifice his own creations, though he knew it came with a great reward. “Yes that will be all, Lady Aine. I greatly appreciate your cooperation. One moment please…” He said as he dismissed his 9mm pistol with a smirk, impressed with her ability to maintain her defenses despite varying location offenses. Though his 9mm gun was the weakest of his arsenal, it had the most consistent barrel speed and so was the easiest to do his calculations with. He looks down onto his holowatch, performing a simultaneous calculation alongside his remote computer, converting both the drone’s data and his bullets subsequent data into a mathematical expression that can be integrated into the output levels recorded by the Ethernano Sensors placed on Aine’s body. After a few moments a series of bell curves, line graphs, and production function graphs pop up on the screen alongside what looks like a live heart rate monitor. Ryota raises his eyebrows as he zooms in on the production function graphs and overlays the three diagrams from each of his test series to see how Aine’s overall output calculation evolved. A soft smile graces the man’s chiseled feature as he closes out his holowatch’s interface. “Well Lady Aine, I must say I am rather impressed with your results. Your transitional times between series was akin to that of a seasoned elite mage, and your ability to redirect attacks rather than just block them is something I find unique and valuable. But I am ultimately impressed by your magical output and the calculated peak potential I was able to get from my equipment. Your ability to withstand such a high intensity blast with only slight strain on your system, while still giving some protection to the remaining fronts, is more than qualified to allow you into the King’s guard.” Ryota gave a sincere smile as he thought back to a more ulterior motive and how he was going to work it into the conversation to see if Aine was aware of the events going on behind the curtains of the land she called home. He gave a slight laugh as he dismissed the rubble that came from his drones to leave little mess in Aine’s courtyard. “Why with that kind of potential and power, you could hold back a rebellion from invading if you wanted to. Not that something like that would happen though, after all this land has been under Kladenets for quite some time.” Ryota said, calming down his voice as he maintained his air of eloquence and refinement; though his eyes gazed into hers with a ferocity that hoped to open up her inhibitions at the mention of such a coupe so that she would speak freely of what she knew, if anything. "I'm flattered you think of me so highly, Mr. Kaneko." Aine responded, smiling. "Of course, this level of feat is probably minuscule in comparison to the vastness of the other female member, Lorelei Faraday, was it?" Aine asked, as she removed the sensors off her body. Paying closer attention to Ryota's comments, his newfound point about a rebellion triggered Aine's interest. He was quite insistent on maintaining the point, and his gaze was no less aggressive, as if he required a response from her. "For a man of your intelligence, Mr. Kaneko," Aine began to say, looking directly at him. "You are taking a remarkably bold move, aren't you?" Aine chuckled to herself. "No matter, your assumptions aren't incorrect." Aine stated, her previous tension ridding itself in a heartbeat. "I am well aware of the rebellion against Kladenets' extended reign, and I have even been offered a place among their ranks. Of course, as you can imagine, taking upon such a role while maintaining my status of nobility is not ideal." Aine sighed slightly, "Likewise, the men in charge of both Aeternum and the rebellion are not exactly ideal candidates for this Kingdom. But unfortunately, the lesser of the two evils must be maintained. Nonetheless, given your insistence on the topic, can I rightfully assume you are acting as a double agent, Mr. Kaneko?" Ryota smirks at the question in strength of his fiancee, though looking at the numbers Aine's potential was close enough to shift the tide of battle in her favor should the right circumstances present itself. But his attention snaps back to her speech when she essentially calls him out on his change in conversational direction towards that of the rebellion. When she had mentioned the offer of a ranked position in the rebellion, Ryota thinks back to the numerous files he had obtained on her history and did note her that response to being openly in the rebellion was strongly refused due to her status among the people and the essential target she would have painted on her forehead. "Well I cannot say that your power is any more or less when compared to that of Lorelei's; as I personally detest the ideas of definitive rankings without considering a variety of factors that can go into what one attributes as 'strength'. But if we are to go off the level readings that my machines can calculate, your numbers are fairly close...But I must say Lady Aine, that your presumptuous and forward behavior far outweighs hers. I do not understand what you find as 'insistent' about the single comment I brought up about the Rebellion, yet you have the audacity to call me a double agent on our first meeting where I have come to recruit you for the very King you claim as the greater evil?" Ryota says with a stern and harsh tone, gazing into Aine's features with the intent of making her sweat for such a potential blunder should her assumptions be wrong. A few moments of silence pass before Ryota's face softens into a coy smile, a hearty laugh coming from within the man as he leans back in amusement. He quickly regains his composure, as his demeanor changes to one of a more relaxed man conversing with a friend. "Well I must say your methods are reckless, in this instance you are not wrong. I do work for Ansem and the Aion Rebellion, serving as the New World Emperor of the Second Division. I have been sending valuable information back to the rebellion and Ishgar Military throughout my nine years here to help aid them in taking back the continent of Aion. I will agree with you that I believe the continent should be run more democratically, but sadly the history of this continent will not allow rule by a different bloodline; so Ansem is the lesser of evils by far..."Ryota says with a bitter tone, thinking back to the behavior of his King in the past. "But I suppose I can be honest with you now in what my intentions were. I have come to ask you to join the Elementals on behalf of the King, that much is true. But I also wish to invite you into the Rebellion as well and join me in the covert reconnaissance that I have been conducting these past years. The utmost secrecy must be maintained of course, so your status of nobility would still be maintained, while also gaining a favorable position in the current kingdom to help ensure the safety of the people until they can take back what is rightfully theirs." Aine stared into the eyes of Ryota who began to threaten her of slander. Even in this situation where she put her first foot forward, she realized that in her impulses, she had made a critical error in judgement. Nevertheless, she held her ground. And while her body wished to shiver in fear, she suppressed these impulses for the sake of her own dignity. The moment that Ryota confirmed her suspicions, her body immediately relaxed and she let out a sigh of relief. "Haaah." Soon realizing how untoward that behavior was, she immediately began to apologize. "I apologize for needlessly putting you on your toes, Mr. Kaneko. When it comes to the security of this continent I...become needlessly agitated. I shall steel myself should this sort of situation arise again." Following Ryota's statements, she nodded. "I see. That's understandable. I will take you up on that offer, for I must continue to take these steps for the sake of liberating my people. Although I do not wish for war...I fear as if it will pounce on us very soon." Aine breathed out. "You can be certain that I do not wish for our identities to be compromised in the slightest. Outside of this room, none will ever come to know of this conversation between us. That is, until the time is right." Aine's face turned from grim to cheerful, "A pleasure working with you, Mr. Kaneko." Ryota gives a slight bow towards the prestigious lady, a genuine smile gracing his face. The cheerful expression on her delicate face makes his heart beat in a way that he hasn't felt before and makes him look forward to future conversations between them. "It has been my pleasure as well Lady Aine. I will relay this information to the King and will contact you with your involvement in the Nine as soon as possible. In regards to the service in the Rebellion I will be sure to devise a means to contact you covertly so I can relay any information I hear." He says as they both begin to exit the training ground. "Well I believe we must part ways for now, I look forward to the next time we meet." Category:Roleplay